Lovebug mating season returns, spelling trouble for Florida drivers

It's kind of romantic, in a creepy-crawly kind of way, when thousands of Florida lovebugs find their soul mates. But for humans, lovebug mating season is downright annoying and messy.

"Oh, no, you have to scrub them to get them off," said truck driver Terry Simpson, parked at a rest stop on Florida's Turnpike. "When they hit (the windshield) they kind of splatter, and they stick just like glue."

Lovebugs usually mate during the month of May. Thousands upon thousands of them descend upon South Florida, and many drivers run into giant swarms of them on the highway.

Truckers have it especially rough. They're constantly on the road and constantly running into lovebugs.

"I wash my windshield every day," said Simpson. "I wash the truck about once a week."

Lovebugs, if left stuck on the bumper too long, can cause the paint on a car to strip away. Experts say a fresh wax-job will keep them at bay, and if they do get stuck, it is recommended to quickly wash them off before it's too late.

The bugs will be gone in a few weeks, but will emerge again in September.

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